Cayetano calls on the government to relaunch the war on drugs

Published February 26, 2017 7:00am

By JOHN TED CORDERO, GMA News

Before a large crowd of President Rodrigo Duterte's supporters in Rizal Park on Saturday night, Senator Alan Peter Cayetano called on the chief executive and the Philippine National Police (PNP) to relaunch the campaign against illegal drugs.

"Ngayong gabi ako ay nakikiusap ako sa ating pangulo at sa PNP na i-relaunch niyo ang inyong anti-drug drive," Cayetano said during his speech at the rally.

The senator, who was Duterte's losing running mate during the May 2016 elections, made the call as he claimed that illegal drug activities had resumed since the suspension of the war on drugs late January.

The government had suspended the PNP's anti-drug operations due to the alleged kidnapping and murder of Korean businessman Jee Ick Joo by anti-drug police operatives.

Duterte gave the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency the lead role in his war on drugs. 

"Sir, simula nung sinuspinde ang [Oplan] Tokhang maraming pusher ang bumalik," Cayetano claimed.  "Totoo ba? Sa inyong lugar bumalik ang mga pusher?"

"'Pag bumalik ang pusher, kasama na diyan ang patayan ng inosente, kasama na diyan ang rape, ang nakawan," he added.

Cayetano also declared that the relaunched war on drugs would no longer be known as "Duterte's war on drugs," but would instead be known as the "people's war on drugs." —DVM, GMA News

http://www.gmanetwork.com/news/story/601068/news/nation/cayetano-calls-on-the-government-to-relaunch-the-war-on-drugs-nbsp